‘Tis sweet to walk at ease, or sit and dream,
While the soft music of the crooning breeze
Blends with the murmur of a singing stream,
And songs of happy birds among the trees.
And it is sweet to watch the setting sun
Kissing the clouds of evening till they blush;
Changing to glories all the vapours dun,
With one grand sweep of His unrivalled brush.
And yet the crowds go hurrying along,
Deaf to this music, to this picture blind;
Although they’ll never hear a sweeter song –
Never a fairer Nature-picture find.
Heaven is not distant: it is all around
Benignant souls, blest with the gifted ear
To mark earth’s heavenly harmonies of sound,
And eye to see heaven manifested here.
O, may my soul be ever sensitive
To charms of sky and sea and flower and sod;
And may the songs and grace of Nature give
My soul fresh stimulus to soar to God.
MICHAEL MULLIN – ‘THE BARD OF FOREMASS’
Foremass Lower, Sixmilecross, Co. Tyrone.